JP2003203108A - Device and method for preparing travel plans - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system for providing the same inexpensive tour as a package tour or a grouptous even in the case of an individual free tour. <P>SOLUTION: The device for preparing travel plans has an input/output processor connected to a terminal via a communications network, an applicant counter for accumulating the number of applicants according to components contained in customers' travel plans inputted via the terminal, and a travel plan organizer which determines whether the preset number of applicants indispensable for executing a travel plan has been attained for each of the travel components and, if not, suggests the applicants to change the travel components. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer-based travel plan making apparatus and method, and more particularly to a travel plan making apparatus and method for making a trip from an individual traveler.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When an individual travels, either a so-called package travel prepared by a travel agency or a travel agency or a free travel is selected. In the case of a free trip, you have to make your own travel plans, buy air tickets, and book hotels.

In order to create a travel plan, various conditions must be considered according to the destination, purpose of travel, and the like. It takes time and effort for individuals to make travel plans because they have to collect information and choose the best of them.

Conventionally, as an attempt to make a travel plan using a computer, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-160778 (Japanese Patent Application No. 5-3402) filed on Dec. 8, 1993.
33) and PCT / U filed on February 3, 1995
There is an example disclosed in S95 / 01406.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Although a pack trip is less expensive than a free trip, the travel process is not flexible and may not always meet the wishes of a traveler. On the other hand, free travel has flexibility in travel destinations and travel dates for travelers to make their own plans, but it costs more than pack travel. In other words, the flexibility of travel dates and the fees are in conflict.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flexible and inexpensive trip to an individual customer who is planning a trip.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a travel plan making device is an input / output processing device connected to a terminal device via a communication network, and a travel plan of a customer inputted via the terminal device. Number of applicants for each travel element included in the travel element included in the travel element, and if there is a travel element whose number of applicants is less than a predetermined number, the travel is applied to the applicant of the travel element. And a travel planning unit for suggesting a change of the element.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a flexible travel plan can be presented to the customer. Further, the travel planning unit proposes to change the applicant of the travel element to another travel element having a lower fare when the number of applicants is less than a predetermined number.

Further, the travel planning unit selects a travel element with the lowest fare and selects a travel element other than the travel element with the lowest fare when the number of applicants is less than a predetermined number in all the travel elements. Suggest to change the applicant of the element to the cheapest travel element.

Further, the method of creating a travel plan includes a travel element Yi included in the travel plan of the customer and the number X of applicants for each travel element.
a data acquisition step of obtaining i, a detection step of detecting whether or not there is a travel element Yi in which the number Xi of applicants is less than a predetermined number TH, and the number of applicants of at least one travel element is predetermined, if not all. If more than TH, then the number of applicants X
Charge P (Xj of travel element Yj where j is less than the predetermined number TH
<TH) and a comparison step of comparing the charge P (Xi ≧ TH) of the travel element Yi in which the number of applicants Xi is a predetermined number TH or more,
When the charge P (Xj <TH) of the travel element Yj is higher than or equal to the charge P (Xi ≧ TH) of the travel element Yi, the travel element Yi is changed to the applicant of the travel element Yj. And a suggesting step of proposing such.

Further, in the method of creating a travel plan, the number of applicants for all travel elements is a predetermined number T in the detection step.
If less than H, this includes suggesting changes so that all travel element applicants are the cheapest travel element applicants.

According to the present invention, a computer-readable recording medium has a calculation process for accumulating the number of applicants for each travel element included in a customer's travel plan, and the number of applicants is less than a predetermined number. A detection step for detecting a non-travel element, a proposal step for suggesting to all applicants of the travel element detected by the above-mentioned detection step to another travel element, and all the proposed applicants mentioned above And a change step of changing the travel element of the applicant when there is an intention to consent to the change of the travel element.

According to the present invention, the travel planning system includes a terminal device for inputting travel information related to a travel plan from a customer, and processing the travel information input from the terminal device to give a predetermined travel plan to the customer. It has a travel plan creation device for presenting and a database for storing information about travel and the travel information input by the customer, and the travel plan creation device is an applicant for travel elements included in the travel plan. If the number is less than a predetermined number, suggest the customer to change the travel factor.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An outline of a travel planning system of this example will be described with reference to FIG. The travel plan creation system of this example includes terminals 12, 14 and an order receiving server or travel plan creating apparatus 30 of a travel company or a travel agency, and a database 40 connected to the order receiving server 30. Terminal 1
Reference numerals 2 and 14 may be personal computers owned by customers, travel agencies, travel agencies, convenience stores and the like. The terminals 12 and 14 have a monitor device and an input device.

The database 40 includes a customer travel plan application database 41 for storing a travel plan input by a customer, a travel element-specific applicant number database 42 for storing the number of applicants of each travel element, and It has a discount management database 43 for storing the travel element discount rate and its application conditions.

The order receiving server or the travel plan making device 30
An input / output processing unit 301 for receiving the customer's travel plan transmitted from the terminals 12 and 14 and transmitting the answer result to the terminals 12 and 14, and for accumulating the number of applicants from the customer for each travel element It has a travel element application number calculation unit 302, and a travel plan organization unit 303 that organizes or changes a travel plan from the number of applicants of each travel element, the minimum number of travel performance applicants, and the discount rate. The travel factors and the minimum number of travel fulfillment applicants will be described later.

The customer inputs a desired travel plan through an input device such as a keyboard while looking at the screens of the monitor devices of the terminals 12 and 14. The input data is input / output processing unit 3
It is stored in the customer travel plan application database 41 via 01. Data from the customer travel plan application database 41 is transmitted to the travel element-specific applicant number calculation unit 302,
The total number of applicants for each travel element is calculated. The calculation result is sent to and stored in the travel element-specific applicant number database 42. The travel planning unit 303 creates, organizes, or changes a travel plan based on the number of applicants for each travel element transmitted from the travel element-specific application database 42 and the discount information transmitted from the discount management database 43, and returns an answer. Terminal 12,
Send to 14.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a screen of the monitor device of the terminals 12 and 14. The customer inputs a travel factor according to the travel plan on this screen. In the present specification, a travel element is an essential item or element included in a travel plan, and specifically, a paid facility, means, or target used or visited by a traveler. For example, aircraft, trains, buses, hotels, restaurants, plays, amusement parks, theme parks, etc. are the travel elements. Travel elements require reservations, and travel companies need to know in advance the number of reservations for each travel element.

Although the travel agency decides specifically how to set the travel element, in this example, the travel element is provided on the condition that the customer can select and propose a change to the customer. is there. For example, in the case of an aircraft, the travel factors may be A ** 1, A ** 2, A ** 3 of A airline, or A ** of A airline, B of B airline. *** Flights, C Airlines C *** flights may be used as travel factors. In the case of a hotel, the travel factors may be Hotel A, Hotel B, Hotel C, etc. in a certain city. In the case of restaurants, Restaurant A, Restaurant B in a city,
Restaurant C or the like may be a travel element. Further, the cooking course A, the cooking course B, the cooking course C, etc. at a certain restaurant may be used as the travel element. Further, a tour plan A, a tour plan B, a tour plan C including a plurality of visited places may be used as a travel element.

As shown in FIG. 2, assume that a customer wishes to travel, for example, departing Tokyo (Narita Airport) and returning to Tokyo (Narita Airport) via Milan, Brig and Zermatt. As shown in the figure, enter Tokyo (Narita Airport), Milan, Brig, Zermatt in the place name field, and enter desired conditions in the accommodation, transportation, etc. fields as travel elements in each place name. Finally, the customer's address, name, age,
Enter your occupation, phone number, credit number, email address, etc.

FIG. 3 is a database 4 of number of applicants by travel element.
2 shows an example of the stored data. As shown, this data includes travel factors and the number of applicants for them. In this example, 3 flights from Tokyo (Narita) to Milan
The two travel elements are flights and flights to Frankfurt. The train elements are two trains from Milan to Brig, one train to Rome, and one train from Brig to Zermatt. Two hotels in Milan and two hotels in Zermatt are travel elements.

FIG. 4 shows an example of data stored in the discount management database 43. As shown, this data is
Includes travel factors and corresponding discount conditions and discount rates.
The travel element is the same as the travel element included in the data stored in the travel element-specific applicant number database 42 shown in FIG. In this example, the discount condition is whether the number of applicants is a predetermined number or more. For example, the rate of AAA Hotel, a 3-star hotel in Milan, is 10% off when the number of applicants is 20 or more, but is 20% when the number of applicants is 100 or more. . Of course, as the discount condition, other than the number of applicants, for example, season, length of stay, age, etc. may be set.

The operation of the travel plan compiling unit 303 of the order receiving server or the travel plan creating apparatus 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. As shown in FIG. 5, first in step S101, the travel planning unit 303 obtains the travel element Yi and the number of applicants Xi from the travel element-specific applicant number database 42. As shown in FIG. 6, for example, as a travel element, 2
0 ** year ** month ** day, hotel A in a predetermined city,
Assume B, C, D. The number of applicants for the hotels A, B, C and D is 10, 8, 6 and 3, respectively.
Preferably, the hotel names are arranged in descending order of the number of applicants.
It is not necessary to obtain data on travel factors for which the number of applicants is zero.

Next, in step S102, the number of applicants Xi is a predetermined number for all travel elements (hotels) Yi,
That is, it is determined whether or not it is equal to or more than the minimum number TH of applicants for travel performance. The travel application minimum number of applicants TH is determined by the travel company or hotel in consideration of profit margin, profitability, and the like. The travel agency will not accept orders for travel elements whose number of applicants is less than the minimum number TH of applicants to carry out travel. The minimum number TH of travel fulfillment applicants may differ for each travel element, but may be the same for all travel elements.

In this example, it is assumed that the minimum number TH of applicants to carry out travel is the same in all travel elements (hotels). Let Y1, Y2, Y3, ... Yn be travel elements, X1, X2, X3, ... Xn be the number of applicants for each travel element, and TH be the minimum number of travel fulfillment applicants. In step S102, the number of applicants Xi for all travel elements Yi (i = 1, 2,
3, ... N), it is determined whether or not the following equation holds.

[0025]

[Formula 1] Xi ≧ TH

If the formula 1 is satisfied, that is, if the number of applicants Xi exceeds the minimum number of applicants TH to carry out the travel in all the travel elements Yi, this process is terminated. In the example of FIG. 6, for example, when the minimum number TH of travel application applicants is 3, the number of applicants is 3 or more in all the hotels (travel elements), and thus this process is terminated.

If the expression of Equation 1 is not satisfied, that is, if there is at least one travel element in which the number of applicants is less than the minimum number of travel performance applicants, the process proceeds to step S103. For example, if the minimum number of applicants to travel is 7, hotels C and D
Since the number of applicants is less than the minimum number of applicants for travel performance, the process proceeds to step S103.

In step S103, all travel elements Y
It is determined whether or not the following expression holds for the number of applicants Xi for i (i = 1, 2, 3, ... N).

[0029]

[Formula 2] Xi <TH

If the formula 2 is satisfied, that is, if the number of applicants is less than the minimum number of travel performance applicants in all the travel elements, the process proceeds to step S108, and the formula 2 is not satisfied. In this case, that is, in the case where the number of applicants of at least one (but not all) travel element is equal to or more than the minimum number of travel fulfillment applicants TH, the process proceeds to step S104.

For example, in the example of FIG. 6, if the minimum number of applicants for travel performance is 15, the number of applicants for all hotels is less than the minimum number of applicants for travel performance, so step S
If the minimum number of travel fulfillment applicants is 7, the number of applicants is less than the minimum number of travel fulfillment applicants only in the hotels C and D, and the process proceeds to step S104.

In this example, when there is a travel element in which the number of applicants is less than the minimum number of travel fulfillment applicants, the applicant of the travel element is proposed to change to another travel element. The condition for changing the travel factor is that the charge for the changed travel factor is not higher than the charge for the travel factor before the change, that is, the charge for the applied travel factor. Accordingly, travel elements with the same or lower fare are detected.

In the example of FIG. 6, it is assumed that the minimum number of travel fulfillment applicants is seven. Since the number of applicants for hotels C and D is less than the minimum number of applicants for travel execution, those who apply for hotels C and D are distributed to other hotels.

In step S104, the charge for the travel element Yj, in which the number of applicants Xj is less than the minimum number of travelers performing travel TH, is P (Xj <TH), and the number of applicants Xi is equal to or more than the minimum number of travelers performing travel TH. The charge for the travel element Yi is P (Xi ≧ T
H) and compare both.

[0035]

## EQU3 ## P (Xj <TH) ≧ P (Xi ≧ TH)

If the equation (3) holds, step S10.
Go to 5. In the example of FIG. 6, when the rates of the hotel hotels C and D are compared with the rates of the hotel A or B, the formula of Formula 3 is established. That is, since the charges of both hotels A and B are lower than the charges of hotels C and D, the process proceeds to step S105.

In step S105, the travel agency proposes to the applicant of the travel element Yj to change to the travel element Yi. That is, the applicants of the hotels C and D are suggested to change to the hotels A or B. At this time, of the two hotels A and B, the hotel A with the highest ranking
May be suggested, or Hotel B, which has a lower price, may be suggested. In this example, the hotel A with a high ranking is proposed.

When the customer's agreement is obtained with respect to the proposal of the travel agency, the number of applicants Xj of the travel element Yj is added to the number of applicants Xi of the travel element Yi in step S106, and in step S107 the travel element Yj. Number of applicants of Xj
To zero. That is, the applicants of the hotels C and D are added to the applicants of the hotel A, and the applicants of the hotels C and D are set to zero.

If the equation (2) is not satisfied in step S104, the process is terminated. In the above example, if the charges of the hotels A and B are higher than the charges of the hotels C and D, the processing is terminated, and the applicants of the hotels C and D cannot stay at the hotel and the charges are high. Informs that he could not find the same or cheaper hotel.

In step S103, if the number of applicants Xi of all the travel elements Yi is less than the minimum number of travelers performing travel TH, the process proceeds to step S108. Step S
At 108, the total ΣXi of the number Xi of applicants of all travel elements Yi is obtained. Next, if the total number of applicants ΣXi exceeds the minimum number TH of applicants to carry out travel, step S1.
At 09, the travel element Yk with the lowest price is detected. In the example of FIG. 6, when the minimum number of applicants for travel performance is 15,
The total number of applicants is 25, and the minimum number of applicants for travel execution exceeds 15. Hotel B is the cheapest hotel.

In step S110, the travel agency proposes that the applicant of a travel element other than the travel element Yk with the lowest price be changed to the travel element Yk. In the example of FIG. 6, applicants of hotels A, C, and D are proposed to change to hotel B. If the customer accepts the offer,
In step S111, the number of applicants of the travel element Yk having the lowest price is added to the number of applicants of other travel elements, and in step S112, the number of applicants of the travel element other than the travel element Yk having the lowest price is zero. To In the example of FIG. 6, 19 applicants of other hotels are added to 8 applicants of the hotel B, and the applicants of the hotels A, C, and D are set to zero.

Next, the case of applying the discount service will be described with reference to FIGS. As in the above example, assume that the minimum number of travel fulfillment applicants is seven. Since the number of applicants at the hotels C and D is less than the minimum number of applicants who carry out the travel, those who have applied to the hotels C and D are distributed to other hotels.

In step S104, the charges of hotels C and D are compared with the charges of hotel A or B. The rate of Hotel C is higher than that of either Hotel A or B. However, if the applicants of the hotel C are changed to the hotels A or B, the number of applicants to which the discount service can be applied is exceeded, and the discount service can be received. For example, if the applicants of the hotel C are changed to the hotel A, the number of applicants of the hotel A becomes 16, and the application condition of the discount service is “the number of applicants is 15 or more”.

Therefore, in step S105, the applicant of the hotel C is suggested to change to the hotel A. Hotel D is cheaper than Hotel A and B. Therefore, the applicant of Hotel D is proposed to change to Hotel A or B.

Similarly, in step S106,
Applicants for hotels C and D are added to applicants for hotel A. In step S107, the applicants for the hotels C and D are set to zero.

In the above description, a hotel has been taken as an example of a travel element, but the same applies to other travel elements such as an aircraft, a railroad, a bus, a restaurant, a theater, an amusement park, and a theme park.

With reference to FIG. 8, the results obtained by the travel planning apparatus and method of this example will be described. FIG. 8 shows an example of a screen of the monitor of the terminals 12 and 14. As shown in the figure, the travel agency proposes the answer result obtained by the travel planning apparatus and method of this example to the customer together with the application content. On the upper side of FIG. 8, the fee for the application entered by the customer, that is, the basic fee, is presented, and on the lower side, the discounted fee due to the change of the hotel or the like is presented. Customers,
By clicking the "I agree" or "I do not agree" radio button, the intention of the travel company's proposal is displayed.

Although the example of the travel planning apparatus and method of the present example has been described above, the present invention is limited to the above example as long as it does not exceed the scope of the present invention described in the claims. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that this is not the case.

[0049]

According to the present invention, there is an advantage that an inexpensive travel plan can be proposed to a customer who desires an individual free travel.

According to the present invention, there is an advantage that it is possible to provide a trip with a discount rate similar to that of a group trip or a pack trip while ensuring the flexibility of an individual free trip.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a travel plan creation device and method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a screen of a monitor when using the travel plan creation device and method according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the contents of a database of a travel plan creation device and method according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the contents of a database of the travel plan creation device and method according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of a travel plan creation device and method according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a travel plan creation process in the travel plan creation apparatus and method according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining another example of a travel plan creation process in the travel plan creation apparatus and method according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a screen of a monitor showing a result of the travel plan creation device and method according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 11 ... Terminal, 20 ... Communication network, 30
... order receiving server, 40 ... database, 41 ... customer travel plan application database, 42 ... number of applicants by travel element database, 43 ... discount management database, 30
1 ... I / O processing unit, 302 ... Traveling element number applicant calculation unit, 303 ... Travel planning unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An input / output processing device connected to a terminal device via a communication network, and a travel element for accumulating the number of applicants for each travel element included in a customer's travel plan input via the terminal device. A separate applicant number calculation unit and a travel planning unit for suggesting a change of the above-mentioned travel element to the applicant of the travel element when the number of applicants is less than a predetermined number. A travel plan creation device that has. 2. The travel planning unit proposes to change the applicant of the travel element to another travel element having a lower fare when the number of applicants is less than a predetermined number. The travel plan creation device according to claim 1, wherein 3. The travel planning unit selects a travel element with the lowest fare and selects a travel element other than the travel element with the lowest fare when the number of applicants is less than a predetermined number in all the travel elements. The travel planning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the travel plan making apparatus proposes to change the applicant of the element to the travel element having the lowest fee. 4. A travel element Yi included in a customer's travel plan
And a data acquisition process for obtaining the number of applicants Xi for each travel element, and the travel element Y for which the number of applicants Xi does not reach the predetermined number TH.
The detection step of detecting whether or not i is present, and if the number of applicants for at least one travel element, if not all, is greater than or equal to a predetermined number TH, the number of applicants Xj is less than the predetermined number TH. Yj charge P (Xj <TH) and travel element Yi charge P (Xi ≧ T) where the number of applicants Xi is equal to or greater than a predetermined number TH
H) comparison process and the above-mentioned travel element Yj charge P
(Xj <TH) is the charge P (Xi ≧ T for the travel element Yi)
H) a suggesting step of suggesting to the applicant of the travel element Yj to change to the travel element Yi when the value is higher than or equal to H). 5. The travel plan creation method according to claim 4, wherein, in the detecting step, when the number of applicants for all travel elements is less than a predetermined number TH, all travel element applicants are charged the most. A method of making a travel plan, comprising proposing changes to become an applicant for a cheap travel factor. 6. A calculation step for accumulating the number of applicants for each travel element included in the travel plan of the customer, and a detection step for detecting a travel element in which the number of applicants is less than a predetermined number. Proposal step of making a proposal to all travel element applicants detected by the detection step to change to another travel element, and an intention of consent from all the proposed applicants to change travel elements A computer-readable recording medium in which a process including a changing step of changing a travel factor of the applicant when there is a case is recorded. 7. A terminal device for inputting travel information related to a travel plan from a customer, and a travel plan creation device for processing travel information input from the terminal device and presenting a predetermined travel plan to the customer. When the number of applicants for the travel elements included in the travel plan is less than a predetermined number, the travel plan creation device has a database for storing the travel information and the travel information input by the customer. A travel planning system characterized by suggesting changes to travel factors to a customer.